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The thing about being teammates since they were twelve was that, over time, Sakura had began to see Naruto as a brother. Not a younger brother than she had to constantly defend, and definitely not an older brother. If anything, he was akin to a twin. They could read each other now, knew how to calm one another. And when one was in serious danger? The other would rise to their defence.
Ever since she found out the Akatsuki, a group of S-Rank missing-nin, were after him because of the nine tails within him, she knew that she would do anything to keep him out of their grasp. Which is why she was instantly on guard when Naruto said that Sai had attacked him while he was with Shikamaru and Choji.
She had filled Shikamaru in as much as she could without breaching Naruto's trust when they returned to the village. Played off Naruto's ties with Lord Jiraiya and the Kazekage as the reason. Shikamaru seemed to have a different theory, however, it wasn't her issue - so long as he did not get close to the truth, at least.
But Captain Yamato, their new Jonin-sensei while Kakashi-sensei healed, demanded she and Naruto get along with Sai. She did her best. The boys, on the other hand?
Sakura groaned as they started arguing again. She whirled around, ready to beat both of them into submission at this rate, but froze when Sai's tone changed slightly.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you are the one who injured Sakura and failed to bring Sasuke back in the same mission. You really can't do anything right, huh, Naruto?"
Her blood boiled at that. Naruto hadn't meant to hurt her! He lost control in a fit of anger that had been building up over the entirety of the mission being stuck with Sai! How could he say something like that?! Did Sai really have no heart? No moral sense? Did he honestly not care about either of them at all despite being on their team now?
"How dare you..." she was done playing nice. Done playing the diplomatic, level headed, sensible one. If Sai was going to press Naruto's insecurities like that then Sakura would protect her brother. "...Naruto protects the village every damn day that he has the nine tails sealed inside of him! He's constantly looked down on, spoken down to. Ever since we were kids, Adults and other kids alike have bullied him and told him he was useless! You know nothing about him and you have no right to talk like that to him!"
She lunged, faster than normal, and landed a chakra infused hit in his gut. Sai flew backwards. The tree he collided with snapped in half from the force. Sakura didn't hesitate to press her advantage and started at him again. Naruto's calls for her to clam down were hardly audible over the blood rushing through her ears. Before she could reach her target, she was being restrained by something.
Wood.
Captain Yamato was there.
"Honestly, Sakura!" He stepped between her and Sai, not relinquishing the wooden trap she was held in. "Naruto, I'd expect this from, but you?!"
"If you were doing your job, then I wouldn't have to come to his defence on my own! Did you hear the things Sai just said about Naruto?! He already had S-Rank missing-nin after him!" She glared.
Yamato, however, stood his ground. "I am aware, Sakura, but this doesn't change the fact that the boys need to work together-"
"THEN HOW ABOUT YOU GET MAD AT SAI TOO, HUH?!" Her breathing was heavy. She had said everything she wanted except...
"This is why we need Kakashi-sensei. What happened at the bridge would have never happened if he was there instead, and he would be punishing Sai and Naruto equally, not just Naruto!"
With that, she finally broke free of the wood. The kunoichi grabbed Naruto's arm and stormed off, dragging him with. They would be training with team 10 today. She needed to take her anger out on someone, and Choji was the only member of their friend group who was able to handle it.